単語の複数形で意味が変わる？“Content”と“Contents”など英語の重要ペア6選
English can be tricky. Sometimes just adding an “s” at the end of a word doesn’t only make it plural, it completely changes the meaning.
In this post, we’ll look at some common English words that mean something totally different when an ‘s’ is added.
Understanding these pairs will help you avoid confusion and speak more naturally.
1. Spirit / Spirits
Spirit (singular): energy, feeling, or attitude
“She showed great spirit during the competition.”
“The team had high spirits after their win.”
Spirits (plural): alcoholic drinks or supernatural beings
“He doesn’t drink spirits like vodka or whisky.”
“They say the house is haunted by spirits.”
The singular form is often emotional or motivational, while the plural form refers to strong alcohol or ghosts.
2. Good / Goods
Good (singular): something positive or pleasing
“This book was really good.”
“He did good work with that company.”
Goods (plural): physical products or items for sale
“The goods were damaged during shipping.”
“Imported goods are more expensive now.”
Good is about the level of quality you feel, while goods are about physical, material things.
3. Custom / Customs
Custom (singular): a tradition or social habit
“Shaking hands is a common custom in many cultures.”
“It’s a Japanese custom to remove shoes indoors.”
Customs (plural): the process of checking items at a border or airport
“We had to go through customs when we landed.”
“Customs officers searched his luggage.”
This is a great example of a word that changes from cultural to official just by adding an “s”.
4. Content / Contents
Content (singular): the ideas or subjects inside something
“The content of that article was very helpful.”
“We create content for our English learners.”
Contents (plural): the individual items inside a container
“The contents of her bag spilled on the floor.”
“Please list the contents of the package.”
Content is abstract (meaning or message), while contents are physical (what’s inside).
5. Glass / Glasses
Glass (singular): the material or a drink container.
“This window is made of thick glass.”
“Can I have a glass of water?”
Glasses (plural): eyewear for vision
“I need glasses to read small text.”
“She wears glasses only when working.”
The plural changes the meaning entirely - this is one of the most common student mix-ups.
6. Cloth / Cloths
Cloth (singular, uncountable): fabric or material
“This shirt is made of soft cotton cloth.”
“We need more cloth to finish the project.”
Cloths (plural, countable): small pieces of cloth, usually for cleaning
“I bought some cleaning cloths at the store.”
“Use a cloth to wipe the table.”
In English, we don’t say “a cloth” to mean the material itself, but we do say “a cloth” or “two cloths” when talking about items for wiping or cleaning.
Quick Practice
Which word (singular or plural) fits each sentence?
The ______ of this article is a bit too advanced for beginners.
We passed through ______ when we arrived at the airport.
Could you hand me one of those cleaning ______?
I really admire her positive ______.
He sells imported ______ in his shop.
My ______ broke, so I need a new pair.
Final Thoughts
In English, plural forms don’t always just mean “more than one” - sometimes they create a completely new word with a different meaning. Learning these pairs will help you avoid small mistakes and sound more fluent in everyday conversation.
Answers:
content
customs
cloths
spirit
goods
glasses